Carton loading device



Aug. 10, 1954 J, F. CURRIVAN CARTON LOADING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 3, 1949 'MIVEIVTOR John F Curr/van M 9%?W Attorneys Aug. 10,1954 J. F. CURRIVAN CARTON LOADING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sfieet 2 Filed March3. 1949 INVENTOR John E Curr/van A fornays Aug. 10, 1954 J. F. CURRIVANCARTON LOADING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 3, 1949 nvvavron JohnF Gur'ri van Aug. 10, 1954 J. F. CURRIVAN CARTON LOADING DEVICE 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 3. 1949 INVENTOR John I? Curr/van By M 9%Arfamq/s Patented Aug. 10, 1954 CARTON LOADING DEVICE John F. Currivan,Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Emhart ManufacturingCompany,

a corporation of Delaware Application March 3, 1949, Serial No. 79,439

' (Cl. 22s -14) Claims.

This invention relates to packaging machinery for placing articles intosuitable containers such as cartons, and in particular it relates toimprovements in devices for transferring the articles from theirconveyor to the containers on another conveyor.

One form of cartoning machine to which the invention is applicable isshown and described in the application of A. H. Ross Serial No. 731,395-filed February 27, 1947, for Cartoning Machine. In general, in machinesof the type shown in that application, flattened cartons are fed to acarton conveyor or transport upon which they are erected to rectangularshape and then loaded with the article to be packaged, after which thecarton flaps are closed. The cartons are carried by the transport withtheir open ends facin the side thereof so that they can be loadedthrough the open ends while the transport is moving continuously. Thearticles to be loaded into the cartons approach the transport on aloading conveyor and are transferred from the loadin conveyor to thecartons on the transport. Several types of mechanisms to effect thistransfer have been used in the past, one, for example being illustratedin U. S. Patent No. 2,440,866, and it is the applicant's purpose toprovide a simplified mechanism for this purpose. Because of itssimplified construction the applicants device is easily adapted to loadthe articles into the cartons in layers, with the top layer resting uponthe layer beneath it, all layers being inserted simultaneously.

When the articles to be loaded into the cartons are of suitable size andshape so that they can be handled by a, loading device of the typedisclosed herein, the bucket conveyor with its rectilinearly movablebuckets, as disclosed in the aforesaid application Serial Number731,395, or in the applicants copending application Serial No. 19,625,filed April 7, 1948, now Patent Number 2,642,212, for Tilting BucketBottle Loader, may be dispensed with, and the articles may betransferred directly from a simple endless belt type of conveyordirectly to the cartons on the transport.

It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to provide a new andimproved apparatus for transferring articles from one conveyor andinserting them into cartons or the like carried by another conveyor.

It is another important object of my invention to provide a new andsimplified apparatus for loading articles into cartons traveling on acontinuously moving conveyor and which is adaptable to load stacks ofvertically arranged articles into a carton.

Another object is the provision of a novel apparatus having more thanone loading station for inserting several articles into a carton to fillit While moving continuously along its path.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cartoning machine showing oneembodiment of the loading device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the machine in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of themachine along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 3a is a sectional view of a portion of Figure 3, along the lineIla-3a of Figure 3.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line 6-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a top plan view similar to Figure 1 but showing anotherembodiment of the loading device.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view along the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of another embodiment of loading device.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a machine using three of the loadingdevices, each of which is adapted to load four similar articles into acarton at once, so that a total of twelve articles in two layers of sixeach are inserted into each carton.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the machine of Figure 8, with some ofthe elements omitted.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the carton conveyor or transport base isindicated at l l, and it houses three parallel horizontal conveyorchains (not shown) each of which carries a set of fingers that protrudeupwardly through the top of the base I i to erect and move the erectedcartons !2 from right to left as viewed in these figures. The outer twoof these chains carry sets of fingers l3 and it respectively (Fig. 1)while the central chain carries a set of fingers l5, and each carton isthus gripped between a single central finger l5 and a pair of trailingfingers l3 and [4 after it leaves the carton magazine is and moves tothe left to be erected, filled, and its flaps closed. The details ofconstruction of the transport are not described herein since they arefully disclosed in the aforesaid application Serial No. 731,395, and theinstant invention is applicable to loading cartons carried by any othersuitable type of conveyor. While passing the article loading stationeach carton top flap I! is held in open position by means such as astationary bar i8. At l 9 in Figure 2 is indicated the idle or tailshaft for the conveyors carrying the fingers l3, l4 and i5, the shaftbeing driven by the conveyors, and the rotary movement of shaft [9 isutilized in a manner that will be described.

A horizontal conveyor belt 281 is mounted in a suitable base 2! rigidlyattached to the side of the transport base. It is trained around adriving sprocket 22 and an idler sprocket 23 with its upper runsupported for operation in a horizontal plane and paralleling themovement of the carton transport conveyor. Belt 25 is driven at a speedfaster than the transport conveyor by means of a sprocket 25 keyed totail shaft is, a chain 23 and a sprocket 2T keyed to the same shaft 28as sprocket 22. A pair of guides 29 and 3b are adjustably secured to thetop or the base 2i by screws 31! passing through slots 32 in thehorizontal legs of the guides. These guides retain the jars 33 or otherarticles upon the conveyor belt 20 as they are moved to the left forioading into the cartons 12 by the device now to be described.

A vertical shaft 35 is journalled at its bottom end for rotation in agear box housing 36 (Figure 2) which is secured to the side wall of thebase as by screws to the end of a bracket 45. at 1;

its other end the bracket 46 is secured to the top of the transport baseH by means such as the members ll and 43 and suitable screws.

Secured to the vertical shaft 35 (Fig. 3) by set screws 59 is a twopiece hub having an upper part 52 and a lower part 53, secured togetheras by screws 54 after being correctly aligned with each other as bydowel pins 55. At its bottom, the lower part 53 has a protruding flange55 forming a support for a sleeve 51 that is mounted on the two piecehub and rotatable with respect thereto. Also mounted on the hub, butsecured to the sleeve 5'! for rotation therewith by screws 53 is ahorizontal circular plate 59 that has affixed to its upper surface bybolts 62 a star wheel, cylinder, or plate 63 having the same diameter asthe plate 59 but having euuiangw larly spaced peripheral recesses orpockets 55. Thus, without the overload clutch means now to be described,the assembly comprising sleeve plate se and pocketed cylinder or plate63 can rotate freely about the two piece hub 52, 53.

Referring to Figures 3 and 3a, a cylindrical tube 65 is fixedly mountedin a radial bore in the sleeve 5?. A cylindrical element to is slid.ably mounted in the tube 85 and urged towards the sleeve 5'! by a springBl retained within the tube 65 by a screw 58. As best seen in Figure 3athe end or the cylindrical element 65 that faces the sleeve 5? isrecessed to locate a vertical shaft 59 shorter than the bore of tube 85,and upon which is journalled for free rotation a roller #2 which has adiameter smaller than the bore of tube 65. The cylindrical element 6%has a horizontal diametrical slot '13; to receive the roller 32, theother part of the roller l2 protruding into a recess in? in the upperpart 52 of the hub. This recess 54 is coplanar with a peripheral grooveE5 in the same hub part 52, but the recess is is deeper than the groove15 as is apparent in shown in the plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3a. The roller 72 is normally seated in the recess '14, beingspring pressed thereinto by the spring El, and in this manner rotationof the vertical shaft 35 is transmitted to the sleeve 5? and the plates59 and 63 carried thereby. If however, some overload should occur thatwill prevent normal rotation of the plates 59 and the roller '52 will becammed out of the recess M and roll in the groove 75, thus allowingshaft 35 to continue its rotation without doing any damage to thearticles or cartons or to the machine itself.

The top surface of the rotating circular plate 59 is in the same planeas the top surface of the conveyor belt 28, which in the illustratedexample consists of a series of hingedly con nected platform elements 16(Fig. 2).

The speed of the conveyor 26 is faster than that of the carton conveyor,and the jars 33 will thus be continuously urged to the left, where theywill be intermittently stopped by the edge of the pocketed plate 53.This plate 63 is revolved at a fixed peripheral speed equal to therectilinear speed of the cartons 42 on the transport. The number ofpockets at in the plate 63 will depend upon the spacing between adjacentcartons on the transport, and in the illustrated machine the plate hasfour such pockets, each of which has a radial depth sufilcient that whena jar 33 is pushed fully into a pocket by the conveyor 29, more thanhalf of the jar will be resting upon the rotating circular plate 59.Each pocket Eli serves to receive a jar from the conveyor 28 and to movethe jar counter-clockwise (as viewed in Figure l) to a position where itcan be pushed into a continuously moving carton. During this period,that part of the jar not resting upon the rotating plate 59 is supportedby a dead plate 17 secured to the top of the base 2! and having its topsurface coplanar with that of the top surface of rotating plate 59. Theright edge is of the dead plate lies adjacent the point where theconveyor platform elements 776 start rounding their sprocket 22, and itsleft edge 79 v is curved and lies adjacent the periphery of rotatingplate 59. In order to further assure retention of the jars 33 in thepockets 64, a circular guide iii (Fig. 1) may be aflixed either to thedead plate ll, or as an extension on the adjustable guide 36 for theconveyor 28.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to l the jars areindividually ejected from the pockets E i and inserted into theirrespective cartons in the following manner. Arranged adjacent each ofthe pockets 64 is a leaf spring, there being therefore four such springsidentified by the reference numbers 82, 83, S4 and in Figure 1. Eachspring normally has a configuration similar to the spring 82 in Figurel, and each outer end is fixed in a post 8'! which is preferablynon-rotatably secured to the pocketed plate or star wheel 63. Eachspring is stressed so that its free end portion 88 presses against theface of the cam 44 which has a profile Studs 89 fixed to and projectingupwardly from the pocketed plate 63 adjacent each post 87, bear againstthe outer surfaces of the springs and serve to stiffen them adjacent theposts 8'5.

As the pocketed plate 63 is rotated counterclockwise in Figure 1, theprofile of the cam id is such that the springs are bent outwardly, andin so doing they eject the jars 33 from the pockets 6% and insert theminto the cartons. As shown in Figure 1 one jar 33 has just fully enteredthe pocket 64 adjacent the spring 82. The preceding pocket is 90 degreesaway, in the counter-clockwise direction, and the deflection of thespring 83 by the sttaionary cam M has nearly fully inserted the jar intothe carton. As the pocketed plate 63 continues its rotation the spring83 is further deflected, until it reaches a maximum deflection indicatedby the dot-dash position at 83c where the jar has been inserted fullyinto the carton. After passing this point the shape of the cam permitsthe spring 83 to return gradually to positions shown by the springs 84and 85. In the latter position, and until 9c degrees later when theposition of spring 82 is reached, the springs do not protrude into thepockets 64. It will be apparent that while the circular peripheralsegments of the pocketed plate 63 are presented to the next successivejar 33 on the conveyor 20 the jars on the conveyor are held againstmovement, and the conveyor 20 slides beneath them. As soon as the nextpocket approaches the next jar the jar can enter the pocket gradually,owing to the gradually sloping leading portion of each pocket.

The described construction thus eliminates the relatively expensivereciprocating bucket type of article loading conveyor disclosed in theaforesaid applications Serial Numbers 731395 and 19,625. Where suchtypes of conveyors and loading devices are not required because ofspecial considerations, such as article size and configuration, theloading device shown herein provides a greatly simplified construction.Where the jars or other articles to be loaded are of smaller diameterthan those shown in Figure 1 a different plate 63 may be substituted,having smaller pockets, and the guides 29 and 80 for the conveyor 29 maybe moved closer together.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment similar to that of Figures1 to 4-. except that four where it fully entered a pocket 64, as shownin Figure 5. In the illustration of this embodiment the jars 96 aresmaller than the jars 33 of the first embodiment, consequently thepockets are smaller, the guides 29 and 3d are closer together, and thedead plate 9? is smaller than the dead plate i1. The rotating assemblyis driven in the same manner as that of Figures 1 and 2 etc.

Figure '7 illustrates still another embodiment, similar in all respectsto those of Figures 1 to 6 except that a different system is used fortrans ferring the jars 9t from the pockets at to the cartons 99. No camis carried by the bracket 4%. A pulley Hit for a V belt is keyed to thevertical shaft 35 above the pocketed plate or star wheel 63 and belowthe bracket 46, and its diameter is such that the V belt m2 does notprotrude into the pockets sc while it is seated the pulley groove. Anidler pulley Hi3 for the belt m2 is suitably journalled for rotationupon a stud tilt fastened to the top of the transport base it at a pointsuch that the belt Hi2 will just be touching a fully inserted jar when acarton Q9 has reached the position shown in dot dash lines at 99a inFigure '7, and the jar is in the same transverse vertical plane as theaxis of pulley I03. Thus as the belt passes counter-clockwise about thepulley Ill! and then travels towards idler pulley I03 it pushes the jarssuccessively out of the pockets E i and into the cartons. As will beunderstood, the stud 104 may be adjustably mounted upon the transportbase H so that it may be shifted for cartons of different length. Whenjars smaller than those shown in Figure 7 are being handled, a pocketedplate, having smaller pockets 64 is substituted for the one shown. Thesame size pulley l0! may be used, since the only difference in operationwill be that it will not contact the jars to remove them until thepocketed wheel has turned a little further.

Figures 8 and 9 show how a device constructed in accordance with myinvention is adapted to load a larger number of articles into a row ofcartons M36 as they are traveling without interruption from right toleft. While in the illustrated machine twelve identical articles areshown being loaded into each carton it will be apparent that a larger orsmaller number may be loaded in a similar manner. As shown in the planview of Figure 8 there are three vertical shafts H17, H38 and 199arranged along the conveyor that moves the cartons 1% from right toleft. By way of example only, a'conveyor similar to that of Figures 1and 2 is represented, with pairs of trailing fingers ill and H2 andcentral leading fingers H3 grasping the cartons to drive them alongtheir path. The central vertical shaft N38 is driven at the proper speedfrom the carton conveyor in the same manner as described in connectionwith Figures 1 and 2, and shafts iii! and 10% are driven from shaft it?by means of chains H4 and H5 (Figure 9) and suitable sprockets keyed tothe shafts. Since the structures associated with or carried by each ofthe shafts Hi1, Hi8 and H39 are identical, only that connected withshaft I89 will be described in detail.

Referring to Figure 9, the shaft 39 has keyed to it two axially spacedidentical circular plates 5 l1 and H8 corresponding to the plates 59 ofthe other embodiments. Also keyed to shaft m9 and arranged in spacedrelationship above plate ill but below plate H8 are a pair of identicalpocketed plates H9 and :20. Another pair of pocketed plates H22 and H23identical to plates H9 and M2 are keyed to the shaft H38 in spacedrelationship and above the upper circular plate H8. In the illustratedembodiment the articles being loaded into the cartons Hill are cans 424having the conventional beads on their top and bottom edges, and thespacing of each pair of pocketed plates is preferably such that they liein planes slightly spaced from the planes of the beads on the cans.

Each of the pocketed plates has four equiangularly spaced pairs ofperipheral notche or pockets I26 and I21, each pair of notches beingadapted to receive a pair of the cans H24, as seen in Figure 8. Each setof peripheral pockets 12-5, l2! in a pocketed plate is in verticalalignment with the corresponding pockets in the other three pocketedplates, so the result is that as shown in Figure 8 four cans areinserted into the carton I06 at one time, two of the cans resting upontwo lower cans after they have been inserted into the carton. Thecircular plate H8 is relatively thin and spaced only slightly above thetops of the lower layer of cans, so that as the cans are transferredfrom the plates I l! and I E8 to the cartons, the upper cans will droponly a short distance before they become supported by the lower cans.The cans are fed to the rotating circular plates from conveyors I28 andI29 arranged at different levels and with their upper surfaces coplanarwith the upper surfaces of the rotating circular plates H1 and H8. Theconveyors I28 and I29 have guide rails I3I and I32 respectively on oneside, and similar guide rails I33 and I34 on the other side to keep thecans I24 on the conveyors. Preferably the rails comprise spaced upperand lower elements, as best seen in Figure 9, where the rails I33 andI34 are shown in section. As shown in Figure 8 the guide rails I33 and433 are continued around rotating elements carried by shaft I99, to formguides which keep the cans on the rotating circular plates and withinthe pockets of the pocketed plates. The guide rails terminate inportions I36 adjacent the ends of the cartons I and paralleling theirdirection of motion, and may serve the dual function of engaging theside flaps I31 of the cartons to hold them open, as well as imparting afinal push to the cans in the carton if they should still protrudeslightly from the carton after having been transferred thereinto by themeans now to be described.

Between the pairs of pocketed plates H5, I23 and I22, I23, flangedpulleys I33 and i353 are keyed to the vertical shaft I89. These pulleysare wide and may serve as spacers for the pocketed plates above andbelow them. Flat belts MI and I 42 are trained around these pulleys andalso around suitable idler pulleys H3 journalled upon a fixed verticalpost or shaft I45. The shaft I45 is so located that the belts MI andI42, in passing around the idler pulleys, are tangent to the path of theopen ends of the cartons I86. Each belt Ill and I42 operates to transferthe cans I24 from the pockets I26 and I2! into the cartons, in the samemanner as the V belt in Figure 7. Wide fiat belts are preferably used inthe embodiment of Figures 8 and 9 because of the relative height of thecans I24 as compared to their diameter.

As mentioned before, the details of construction of the mechanismassociated with shafts I08 and I01 are the same as those associated withshaft I09, and any number of such shafts may be used in a gangarrangement, depending upon the number of cans or articles that are tobe loaded into a carton. Any number of stacks of cans can be insertedinto a carton, since any desired number of circular and pocketed platecombinations may be arranged upon a vertical shaft. Either the springpressed plungers of Figure 5 or the curved leaf springs of Figure 1 maybe used in the multiple loader of Figures 8 and 9 in place of the belts.It should be pointed out however, in connection with the belts ofFigures 7 to 9 that in addition to inserting the articles into thecartons they can also serve to assure that the leading side flaps (theleft hand side flaps in the drawings) are moved to and held in openposition as the cartons move from right to left. The tendency of theside and top flaps is to spring toward a position coplanar with thesides or top to which they are attached, because of the naturalresiliency at their hinged joints. While the top flap can be held out ofthe way by a stationary member such as member I8 of Figures 1 and 2, nosuch bar can be used to hold the side flaps open because the bar wouldobstruct the carton opening at the loading station. Normally there is notrouble with the trailing side flap because since its hinge is ahead ofthe flap, that flap will be pushed back as it encounters any stationaryobject such as the portions I36 of the guide rails I33 etc. in Figure 8.Since the other or leading side flap is hinged at its rear edge there isan opportunity for this flap to be folded back and over the end of thecarton when engaging a stationary object such as the aforesaid portionsI36, particularly if the free end of the flap should be caught under thefree end of such an object. Viewing the rightmost carton of Figure 8however, it will be apparent that if its leading side flap springstoward closed position it will engage the belt I42, which is movingalong with the carton although at a slightly slower speed. It does nothave any free end for the flap to get caught under and it will push theflap back to fully open position and guide it over the next succeedingguide end portion I36.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In a machine for loading articles into cartons or the like; a firstconveyor having means for conveying cartons past a loading device; meansfor driving said first conveyor at a constant speed; a second conveyoroperable to carry articles to a loading device; means for driving saidsecond conveyor at a constant speed greater than that of said firstconveyor, a loading device operable to remove articles from said secondconveyor and insert them into the cartons on said first conveyor,comprising a cylindrical rotor having peripheral pockets for receivingarticles to remove them from said second conveyor said rotor being sodisposed relative to the path of carton movement that the periphery ofsaid rotor is substantially tangent to the path of movement of theadjacent end of the carton; means for driving said rotor so that itsperipheral speed is substantially the same as the speed of said firstconveyor; and means movable in timed relation with the rotation of saidrotor and disposed in the path of said pockets operable to cooperatewith said pockets to insert the articles into the cartons as they passsaid loading device so that articles are received by the loading devicefrom said feeding means and transferred through a curvilinear path intothe open ends of the cartons.

2. In a machine for loading articles into cartone or the like; a loadingdevice; a first conveyor having means for conveying cartons past saidloading device; means for driving said first conveyor at a constantspeed; a second conveyor operable to carry articles to said loadingdevice; said loading device being operable to remove articles from saidsecond conveyor and insert them into the cartons on said first conveyor,and mum prising a rotor having peripheral pockets to remove articlesfrom said second conveyor, said rotor being so disposed relative to thepath of carton movement that the periphery of said rotor issubstantially tangent to the path of movent of the adjacent end of thecartons; means for driving said rotor so that the speed of its pocketsis substantially the same as the speed of said first conveyor; meansmovable in timed relation with the rotation of said rotor and disposedin the path of said pockets operable to cooperate with said pockets toinsert the articles into the cartons as they pass said loading device sothat articles are received by the loading device from said feeding meansand transferred through a curvilinear path into the open ends of thecartons; and rotary means cooperating with said rotor to support thearticles within said pockets during their transfer from said secondconveyor to the cartons.

3. In the machine described in claim 2, said rotor comprising acylindrical element with a ver tical axis and lying in the plane of thearticles on said second conveyor, the peripheral surface of said elementhaving spaced pockets to receive articles from said second conveyor, andthe por tions of said peripheral surface between said pockets beingoperable to block the movement of the articles on said second conveyor.

4. In the machine described in claim 2, said last mentioned meanscomprising an element having a top surface substantially coplanar withthe top surface of said second conveyor and with the bottoms of thecartons carried by said first conveyor.

5. In the machine described in claim 2, said last mentioned meanscomprising a disc fastened to said rotor for rotation therewith, andhaving its top surface substantially coplanar with the top surface ofsaid second conveyor and with the bottoms of the cartons carried by saidfirst conveyor.

6. In a machine for loading articles into cartons or the like, a cartonloading device, a conveyor having means for moving erected cartons pastsaid loading device, means for driving said conveyor at a constantspeed, said loading device comprising a generally cylindrical rotorhaving a peripheral pocket for receiving articles and so disposedrelative to said conveyor that its periphery is substantially tangent tothe path of lmovement of the adjacent carton ends, means for feedingarticles against the periphery of said cylindrical rotor, whereby thecylindrical portion ofthe periphery of said rotor prevents movement ofthe article from said feeding means, and said feeding means forces theleading article into the empty peripheral pocket of said rotor when itbecomes aligned with said feeding means during the rotation of saidrotor, drive means for rotating said rotor about an axis so that itsperipheral speed is substantially the same as the speed of saidconveyor, and means movable in timed relation with the rotation of saidrotor and disposed in the path of said pocket operable to co-operatewith said pocket to gradually transfer an article from the pocket into acarton as it passes said loading device, so that articles are receivedby the loading device from said feeding means and transferred through acurvilinear path into the open ends of the cartons.

'7. In the machine described in claim 6, said means operable to transferthe articles into the cartons comprising reciprocating devices mountedadjacent each rotor pocket and shiftable from first positions adjacentsaid pockets to second positions Where they protrude beyond the pockets'to a point adjacent the path of the ends of the cartons on said firstconveyor; and stationary 'means connected with said reciprocatingdevices and operative to reciprocate them in response to the movement ofsaid rotor.

8. In the machine described in claim 6, said means operable to transferthe articles into the cartons comprising plungers mounted forreciprocating radial movement with respect to each rotor pocket andshiftable from first positions ad j acent said pockets to secondpositions where they protrude beyond the pockets to a point adjacent thepath of the ends of the cartons on said first conveyor; means connectedwith said plungers and operative to move them to said second positions,and means operative to return them to said first positions.

9. In the machine described in claim 6 said means operable to transferthe articles into the cartons comprising leaf springs each fixed at oneend to said rotor adjacent a rotor pocket; and a stationary means in thepath of the end portions of said springs operable to deflect saidsprings from first positions adjacent said pockets to second positionswhere they protrude beyond the pockets to a point adjacent the path ofthe ends of the cartons on said first conveyor.

10. In a machine for loading articles into cartons or the like; aloading device comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis; afirst horizontal conveyor having means for carrying cartons past saidrotor with their open ends following a path substantially tangent to theperiphery of said rotor; a second conveyor having its top surfacesubstantially coplanar with the top surface of said first conveyor andoperable to convey articles to said rotor, said rotor having a series ofperipheral pockets to receive articles from said second conveyor; athird conveyor in a plane above that of said second conveyor andoperable to convey articles to said rotor, said rotor having an upperseries of peripheral pockets in vertical alignment with said firstseries of pockets; means independently supporting the articles in eachseries of pockets with the articles in the upper of each pair ofvertically aligned pockets spaced above the articles in the lowervertically aligned pockets; and means cooperating with said rotor andoperable to simultaneously transfer the articles from a pair ofvertically aligned pockets to a carton on said first conveyor, wherebythe upper articles will rest upon the lower articles as they are removedfrom said supporting means.

11. In a machine for loading articles into cartons or the like; aloading device comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis; afirst horizontal conveyor having means for carrying cartons past saidrotor with their open ends following a path substantially tangent to theperiphery of said rotor; a second conveyor having its top surface.substantially coplanar with the top surfaces of said first conveyor andoperable to convey articles to said rotor, said rotor having a firstseries of peripheral pockets to receive articles from said secondconveyor; a third conveyor in a plane above that of said second conveyorand operable to convey articles to said rotor, said rotor having anupper series of peripheral pockets in vertical alignment with said firstseries of pockets; means for independently supporting the articles ineach series of pockets with the articles in the upper each pair ofvertically aligned pockets spaced above the articles in the lowervertically aligned pockets; and means in the paths of the pockets asthey approach said first conveyor and operable to simultaneouslytransfer the articles from a pair of vertically aligned pockets to acarton on said first conveyor, whereby the upper articles will rest uponthe lower articles as they are removed from said supporting means. 7

12'. In the machine described in claim 10, a

second loading device similar to said first mentioned loading device andlocated substantially tangent to the path of the open ends of thecartons after they have passed said first mentioned loading device; afourth conveyor having its top surface substantially coplanar with thetop surfaces of said first and second conveyors and operable to feedarticles to the lower series of pockets of said second loading device;and a fifth conveyor having its topsurface substantially coplanar Withthe top surfaces of said third conveyor and operable to feed articles tothe upper series of pockets of said loading device.

13. In a machine of the class described, a first horizontal conveyor, asecond conveyor having its top surface substantially coplanar with thetop surface of said first conveyor; and means for transferring articlesfrom said second conveyor to said first conveyor comprising a rotatabledisc having its top surface substantially coplanar with the top surfacesof said conveyors and its peripheral surface tangent to said firstconveyor, said second conveyor terminating adjacent said disc andextending at a horizontal angle therefrom; means for driving said discand said first conveyor at a rate such that the peripheral speed of thedisc is equal to the speed of said first conveyor; means for drivingsaid second conveyor at a speed greater than that of said firstconveyor; a second disc above and connected to said rotatable disc forrotation therewith and having substantially the same diameter, saidsecond disc having a series of equiangularly spaced peripheral pocketsof such size as to receive articles from said second conveyor; and meansmovable in timed relation with the rotation of said discs and disposedin the path of articles in said pockets operable to cooperate with saidpockets to gradually transfer such an article from each of the pocketson to said first conveyor so that articles are received by said transfermeans from said second conveyor and transferred through a curvilinearpath on to said first conveyor.

14. The machine described in claim 13 where in said last mentioned meanscomprises reciprocating elements mounted upon said discs adiacent eachpocket and each shiftable from a withdrawn to a second positionprotruding beyond its respective pocket to a point adjacent said firstconveyor, and wherein said reciprocating elements are actuated by meanscooperating with said reciprocating elements to shift them successivelyto said second position as their respective pockets approach said firstconveyor.

15, In the machine described in claim 13 an overload release clutch inthe drive between said first conveyor and said discs and operable todiscontinue the operation of said discs in response to jamming of anarticle during the transfer operation.

16. In a machine of the class described, a first horizontal conveyor, asecond conveyor having its top surface substantially coplanar with thetop surface of said first conveyor; and means for transferring articlesfrom said second conveyor to said first conveyor comprising a rotatabledisc having its top surface substantially coplanar with the top surfaceof said conveyors and its periph eral surface tangent to said firstconveyor, said second conveyor terminating adjacent said disc andextending at a horizontal angle therefrom; means for driving said discand said first conveyor at a rate such that the peripheral speed of thedisc is equal to the linear speed of said first conveyor; means fordriving said second conveyor at a linear speed greater than that of saidfirst conveyor; a second disc above and connected to said rotatable discfor rotation therewith and having substantially the same diameter, saidsecond disc having a series of spaced peripheral pockets of such size asto receive articles from said second conveyor; a driving pulley mountedupon said discs for rotation therewith in a plane above that of saidrotatable disc, said pulley having a radius less than the distance fromthe roots of said pockets to the axis of said discs, a driven pulleysubstantially tangent to said first conveyor, and a belt passing oversaid pulleys, said belt acting to gradually guide the articles from thepockets into the carton as they pass said loading device.

17. In a machine for loading articles into cartone or the like; a cartonloading device, comprising a cylindrical rotor having spaced peripheralpockets for receiving articles, drive means for rotating said rotor witha constant peripheral speed about an axis, a first conveyor having meansfor moving erected cartons having open ends along a path substantiallytangential to the periphery of said rotor; means for driving said firstconveyor past said loading device at a constant speed substantially thesame as the peripheral speed of said rotor, a second conveyor operableto feed articles in succession along a path against the periphery ofsaid rotor, means for driving said second conveyor at a constant speedgreater than that of said first conveyor, whereby the cylindricalportion of the periphery of the rotor prevents movement of the articlesfrom said second conveyor and said second conveyor urges the leadingarticle into the first empty peripheral pocket of the rotor to comeadjacent the end of said second conveyor during the rotors rotation, andmeans in the path of said pockets operable to co-operate with saidpockets to gradually transfer the articles from the pockets into thecartons as they pass said loading device, so that articles are receivedby the loading device from said second conveyor and transferred througha curvilinear path into the open end of the cartons.

18. In a machine the loading articles into cartons or the like, aplurality of carton loading devices each adapted to transfer at leastone article into each passing carton, each of said loading devicescomprising a cylindrical rotor having spaced peripheral pockets forreceiving articles, drive means for rotating said rotors at a constantperipheral speed about axes normal to the path of carton movementrelative thereto, a conveyor having means for moving erected cartons,each having an open end, along a path substantially tangential to theperiphery of said rotors, means for driving said conveyor past saidloading devices at a constant speed substantially the same as theperipheral speed of said rotors, means for feeding articles against theperiphery of each of said rotors, and means in the path of said pocketsoperable to co-operate with said pockets to transfer the articles fromthe pockets into the car tons as they pass said loading devices wherebyarticles are urged against the periphery of said rotors and into thepockets as they become aligned with the feeding means, and aretransferred by said loading devices through a curvilinear path into theopen ends of the cartons.

19. The cartoning machine defined in claim 18 wherein the rotors of saidloading devices are coaxially aligned and are each operable to trans- 13fer at least one article into each passing carton simultaneously.

20. The cartoning machine defined in claim 18 wherein the rotors of saidloading devices are mounted for rotation about spaced parallel axesequi-distantly disposed from the path of movement of the carton openends and are each operable to transfer at least one article into eachpassing carton successively.

21. In a cartoning machine, the combination of a rotor having aplurality of spaced can receiving pockets, and a driven belt in the pathof movement of said pockets and ooacting therewith for successivelyejecting the cans from said pockets after predetermined movement of saidcans with said rotor.

22. In the machine defined in claim 21, said belt being driven with saidrotor.

23. In a machine for loading articles into cartons or the like; aloading device; a first conveyor having means for conveying cartons pastsaid loading device; means for driving said first conveyor at a constantspeed; a second conveyor operable to carry articles to said loadingdevice; said loading device being operable to remove articles from saidsecond conveyor and insert them into the cartons on said first conveyor,and comprising a rotor having peripheral pockets to remove articles fromsaid second conveyor; means for driving said rotor so that the speed ofits pockets is substantially the same as the speed of said firstconveyor; means in the path of said pockets operable to cooperate withsaid pockets to insert the articles into the cartons as they pass saidloading device; and rotary means for cooperating with said rotor tosupport the articles within said pockets during their transfer from saidsecond conveyor to the cartons, said means operable to insert thearticles into the cartons comprising a driving pulley fixed to saidrotor adjacent the plane of said pockets, an idler pulley mountedadjacent the path of the ends of the cartons on said first conveyor, anda belt mounted on said pulleys, said belt in its travel from saiddriving to said idler pulley lying in the path of articles carried bythe pockets in said rotor.

24. In a machine for loading articles into cartons or the like; aloading device; a first conveyor having means for conveying cartons pastsaid loading device; means for driving said first conveyor at a constantspeed; a second conveyor operable to carry articles to said loadingdevice; said loading device being operable to remove articles from saidsecond conveyor and insert them into cartons on said first conveyor, andcomprising a rotor having peripheral pockets toremove articles from saidsecond conveyor; means for driving said rotor so that the speed of itspockets is substantially the same as the speed of said first conveyor;means in the path of said pockets operable to cooperate with saidpockets to insert the articles into the cartons as they pass saidloading device; and rotary means cooperating with said rotor to supportthe article within said pockets during their transfer from said secondconveyor to the cartons, said means operable to insert the articles intothe cartons comprising a driving pulley fixed to said rotor adjacent theplane of said pockets, an idler pulley mounted adjacent the path of theends of the cartons on said first conveyor at a point on said pathbeyond the perpendicular between said rotor and said first conveyor, anda belt mounted on said pulleys, said belt in its travel from. saiddriving to said idler pulley lying in the path of articles carried bythe pockets in said rotor.

25. In an article handling machine, a linear conveyor mounted formovement through a loading station; a rotor at said loading stationcontinuously driven at the same speed as that of said conveyor having atleast one peripheral pocket, the leading edge of said pocket in thedirection of rotation of said rotor being so constructed as to graduallyadmit an article fed against the periphery of said rotor into suchpocket, said rotor being operative to move such article into saidstation, means for feeding a succession of articles against theperiphery of said rotor, means on the periphery of said rotorintermediate the leading and trailing edge of each such pocket forarresting movement of said succession of articles during the periodsbetween transfer of said articles to the rotor pocket, and means movablein timed relation with the rotation of said rotor and disposed in thepath of said pocket operable to cooperate with said pocket to graduallytransfer an article from the pocket to said conveyor at said loadingstation so that articles are received by said rotor from said feedingmeans and transferred through a curvilinear path onto said conveyor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,256,070 Stake Feb. 12', 1918 1,258,623 Stake Mar. 5, 19181,281,579 Johnson Oct. 15, 1918 1,284,637 Foss Nov. 12, 1918 1,556,991Hippenmeyer Oct. 13, 1925 1,588,903 Parker June 15, 1926 1,729,671Bell-Irving et a1 Oct. 1, 1929 1,775,381 Angus Sept. 9, 1930 1,896,639Meyer et a1 Feb. 7, 1933 2,085,410 Bergmann June 29, 1937 2,106,975Francis Feb. 1, 1938 2,133,248 Jones Oct. 11, 1938 2,285,283 Jones June2, 1942 2,440,866 Malhiot May 4, 1948 2,500,492 Henriques, Jr Mar. 14,1950 2,506,819 Von Sydow May 9, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date343,586 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1931 578,914 Germany June 19, 1933

